Resilience is just one of the many inspiring attributes the Wheelchair Dancers remind us of. Indeed, inspiring is the word of the moment, seeing them dancing gracefully to various tunes. In them, the flame of the Singapore Spirit burns bright – the Spirit of surging forward in spite of difficulties; the Spirit of strength and determination. This year, we are truly honoured to have this group of committed dancers perform under the Pre-Parade segment of NDP 2008. To find out more, the author caught up with one of the standing dancers, a familiar face in the crowd: he is none other than MediaCorp Channel 8 artiste Chen Tianwen.

Every Saturday and Sunday, 2 to 6 in the afternoon, at Kampong Ubi Community Centre. That was the response of Chen Tianwen when asked about the training hours of the Wheelchair Dancers. The veteran MediaCorp Channel 8 actor, who has starred in many TV drama serials (often in the usual honest, industrious role) is part of a group of performers taking part in the Pre-Parade segment of NDP 2008 called the Wheelchair Dancers.

The Dancers perform in pairs, one a wheelchair-bound dancer, the other a standing dancer. With the level of coordination required between both dancers, one truly has to wonder about the amount of practice needed. Through everything, Tianwen is amazed by the resilience shown by the wheelchair-bound dancers. “Even going to the toilet – they do it themselves!” he exclaims.

On a personal level, Tianwen’s love for dancing ensures that he is more than happy to perform and “do something for the country”. He quips, “It is an honour to perform with these resilient people.” It all started though, with an event on TV. “I first knew William (points to William Tok, the dance instructor) from a Community Chest Charity event on TV. He was looking for a standing dancer for Wheelchair Dancing at NDP 2008, and so I immediately jumped at the chance. So far it’s been so good!”

The laughter of Tianwen and his fellow performers reminds one of optimism and resilience. On the trail of the Wheelchair Dancers, the spirit of strength and determination truly comes alive. Meanwhile, Tianwen is hopeful. “It is the first time I am performing on the platform. I hope everything goes smoothly!” With all the grace in their dance steps, smoothly will surely be the word come the 9th of August.